List of notable graves in alphabetical order

ALGERNON BENNET LANGTON ASHTON (1859-1937)

Prolific composer, pianist, and Royal College of Music Pianoforte Professor (1885-1910). Born in Durham, aged 4 his family moved to Leipzig. Ashton studied at Leipzig Conservatory and Frankfurt’s Hoch Conservatory. He moved to London in 1884. Aside from composing symphonies, overtures, concertos, sonatas, trios, quartets, quintets, sextets, writing mainly for piano but also strings, wind, and organ, Ashton was also notable for seeking out and campaigning via letters to the Press for the upkeep of graves of famous people. Pictures of him are available online and his music is on Spotify. A stone at his tomb bears musical notation in leading from one of his sonatas.

CLARA, JAMES & JABEZ BALFOUR

Clara Lucas (nee Liddell, 1808-1878), Baptist author and campaigner for temperance and women’s welfare and advancement. Her husband James (1796-1884) worked in the House of Commons Ways and Means Office. Their son, Jabez Spencer Balfour (1843-1916, buried unnamed in same tomb) was a Liberal MP and fraudster. He fled to South America when his Liberator Building Society collapsed, losing £7m (about £750m today), after using its cash for his own projects. Arrested in Argentina and returned to the UK, Balfour served 6 years of a 14-year gaol sentence. This was one of the largest financial frauds ever at the time and a large number of people lost all their savings, it is said that the name Jabez went out of fashion due to his reputation.

EDWARD MIDDLETON BARRY (1830-1880)

Edward Middleton Barry (1830-1880) Architect, Fellow of Royal Institute of British Architects, Professor of Architecture at Royal Academy, associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Son of Sir Charles Barry, on whose death Barry completed his father’s work on the New Palace of Westminster and Halifax Town Hall. He later restored of St.Stephen’s Chapel’s crypt, oversaw the rebuilding of the fire-destroyed Covent Garden theatre and designed the Floral Hall. His first solo work was St. Saviour’s Church, Haverstock Hill. Barry also designed the Sick Children’s Hospital, Great Ormond Street, Charing Cross and Cannon Street Hotels, Malta’s new Opera House, the staircase at Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, and much of the rebuilding of the National Gallery.

MARTIN WILLIAM BECHER (1797-1864)

Better known as “Captain Becher”, he was a famous steeplechase jockey and horseman. Restricted to riding in “Gentleman’s Races”, he made his living from riding and schooling horses over fences for their owners. “Becher’s Brook” the Grand National fence at Aintree, is named after him. Riding “Conrad”, his horse fell at a wooden fence by a dammed brook. Tipped into the water, Becher sheltered in the brook until the other runners and riders had passed. Born in Norfolk, Becher served in the Buckinghamshire Yeomanry cavalry, married Susan Dobree in 1825, and had 3 children. He died at Maida Hill, St. John’s Wood.

EDWARD SPENCER BEESLY (1831-1915)

Oxford graduate, taught at Marlborough College, Professor of History at University College, Positivist, author, journalist, political radical (anti-imperialist, advocate for Irish Home Rule, pro workers’ solidarity & trade unions, supported the Paris Commune and Union side in American Civil War) and friend of Karl Marx, unsuccessful Liberal candidate for MP of Westminster and for Marylebone constituencies.

EMILY (nee CROMPTON) BEESLY (1840-1889)

married Edward in 1869. Daughter of a Queen’s Bench Justice, she espoused radical politics, campaigned actively, and was president of the women's liberal association of Paddington in 1886. She advocated Irish home rule, writing new lyrics for 'The Wearing of the Green'. Her book, Stories from the History of Rome, written for her sons, is still available in print. She died aged 49 in 1889.

AUGUSTUS HENRY BEESLY (1839-1909)

Historian, author and classical scholar, taught at Marlborough College. Brother of Edward. Also studied at Wadham College, Oxford. Wrote classical history works The Gracchi, Marius and Sulla, and Epochs of Ancient History, biographies Life of Danton and Sir John Franklin, and books of poetry and ballad collections

DR SIMON BERNARD (1817-1862)

Born in Carcassone and trained as a surgeon, Bernard was mixed up in the Orsini Affair, an attempt to assassinate Napoleon III. He was responsible for sourcing the ammunition / grenades from England and taking them to France. The assassination was unsuccessful but killed a number of people and Bernard fled to the UK where he arrested and tried under English law as a revolutionary. The evidence was clear and the judge instructed the jury to convict him, in a prominent example of the absolute right of a jury’s independence they exclaimed that they should not involve themselves in French affairs and found him not guilty.

Simon Bernard became prominent in the ‘exiles’ community in London, however, he was plagued by the guilt that his evidence was used to convict and execute a number of his friends in France. He suffered mental illness and died in an asylum in East London. His supporters marched 1000 strong from Oxford St to the cemetery to give him a moving send off in a pauper’s grave in Gods Acre. All attempts from the vicars to give religious blessing were stoutly refused.

MICHAEL BOND (1926-2017)

Author of the Paddington Bear children’s books. Born Thomas Michael Bond in Newbury and raised in Reading, he attended but disliked Presentation College, but loved watching trains at Reading station. He left school at 14, worked in a solicitor’s office, then as an engineering assistant at the BBC. Briefly joining the British army, in 1945 he began writing short stories and plays. He was working as a BBC cameraman when A Bear Called Paddington was published in 1958, and by 1965, Bond was writing full-time. To date, over 35 million Paddington books have been sold worldwide and in 40+ languages.

In addition, to Paddington, Bond also wrote books about the Guinea Pig Olga da Polga and the children’s TV series, The Herbs and The Adventures of Parsley.

THOMAS BOWLBY (1818-1860)

Originally trained as a lawyer Bowlby found the law uncongenial and became one of the first war correspondents for The Times. In 1860 he accompanied Lord Elgin to cover the second Opium War fought against the Qing Empire China. Following the capture of Tientsin (Tianjin) Bowlby was part of the delegation sent to Peking (Beijing) to arrange a peace treaty. Upon arrival the delegation was arrested and all were tortured to death over the course of 3 days.

Lord Elgin stated ‘What would The Times say of me, if I did not avenge its correspondent?’. In retaliation he burnt down the Qing Emperor’s Old Summer Palace in Beijing, one of the most beautiful collections of art and architecture in China. This act of destruction has not been forgotten and still causes friction in UK’s relations with China where they demand the return of the many looted treasures currently sitting in UK museums.

The monument in Paddington Old Cemetery is a memorial. Thomas Bowlby’s grave is located in Beijing and reportedly now sits under a golf driving range. 

EDWARD BOYS (1749-1866)

Royal Navy Captain. Joined navy in 1796, captured by French in 1803 and imprisoned for 6 years, eventually escaping in 1809 after many attempts. Promoted lieutenant, serving primarily in the West Indies. Boys wrote an account of his adventures in France for his family, published in 1827 as Narrative of a Captivity and Adventures in France and Flanders between the years 1803-9. Appointed Commander in 1814, superintendent of Deal dockyard from 1837-1841. Retired as Captain in 1851. Died in London. His son, Admiral Henry Boys, was second in command, Channel fleet 1878–9.

HARRY JOHN BURROW (1846-1882)

Stained glass window and mosaic tile (opus sectile) designer and painter of reredos (church screens) and murals. His family was from Cumbria, but he was born in London. Despite elitist criticism of his draughting skills, Burrow’s work was very popular. Freelance, his main work was for Powell & Sons (London), but he’s thought to have worked for Fouracre & Watson (Plymouth) and Daniel Bell (London). Dying relatively young of heart disease, Burrow left a widow and 5 children.   Some of Burrow’s work can be found online.

ALFRED COLIN (1835-1891)

Coiffeur, perfumer & wigmaker of 233 Regent Street. Born l’Aisne, France, to a leatherworker. Trained in Paris, emigrated 1862 to London as haircutter’s assistant. Set up business with Henry Proust but partnership dissolved acrimoniously in the courts. Co-founder of La Société du Progressive de la Coiffure, and president for over 16 years. Featured in Hairdressers’ Weekly Journal’s celebrities connected with the trade. Left £502 on his death. (Details from Jessica P. Clark’s The Business of Beauty: Gender and the Body in Modern London).

MAJOR GENERAL JOHN DOUGLAS (1810-1871)

Born in Lanarkshire, Douglas first entered the army as an Ensign in the 61st Foot. In 1839 he transferred as a Captain into the 11th Light Dragoons which became the 11th Hussars (Prince Albert’s Own). He served under Lord Cardigan and in the Crimean War commanded the 11th Hussars as one of the two regiments involved in the Charge of the Light Brigade, he survived without any serious wounds. He continued to fight through the Battle of Inkerman and the Siege of Sevastapol. In 1868 he was promoted to Major General in command of the Cavalry Brigade in Aldershot where he died in 1871.

LEONARD DAW (1929-1950)

Royal Navy stoker and mechanic, submariner, died when submarine HMS Truculent collided with Swedish oil tanker Divina in the Thames Estuary at night on 12 January 1950. In total, 64 men died, include crew members and workers refitting Truculent. Twenty men survived, but others were swept away in the current and drowned or froze to death on the estuary’s mud flats. HMS Truculent had served in the Pacific in WWII and sank nine enemy vessels.

ILONA (nee EIBENSCHUTZ) DERENBURG (1871-1967)

Born Budapest, Hungary. Eibenschutz was a child piano prodigy. Aged 5, she played with Franz Liszt. She studied at Leipzig Conservatory from 1878-1885, then with Clara Schumann in Frankfurt, and was a close friend of Johannes Brahms. She made regular tours to Germany, Austria, France, Russia, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, playing for the Queen of Denmark, Russia’s Tsar and Tsarina, and the Emperor of Austria, who gave her a 5-year stipend. In 1890, she debuted with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Eibenschütz retired from regular performances after her 1902 marriage to German stockbroker Carl Derenburg. The couple moved to London, where she gave occasional recitals and made recordings, available YouTube and Spotify.

SARAH DISRAELI (1802-1859)

Novelist and confidante of her brother, Benjamin, later Prime Minister and Earl of Beaconsfield. Although only Benjamin was originally credited as the author of the political novel, A Year at Hartlebury, or The Election, Sarah was eventually credited as co-author. Born in London, to Jewish parents, Isaac Disraeli and Miriam Basevi, . Isaac had his 4 surviving children baptised into the Church of England in 1817. From 1829-1848, Sarah lived at Bradenham Manor, near High Wycombe, leased by her father and serving as his secretary, she also played a prominent role in supervising the financial affairs of her brother Benjamin. On her Father’s death, Sarah moved first to Hastings then Twickenham. Seriously ill, she died at brother Ralph’s house in Gloucester Place. She never married. Her fiancé, William Meredith, died in Egypt in 1831 while travelling with Benjamin.

ALEXANDER FINDLAY (1822-1881)

Better known as the famous prize-fighter, “Alec Keene”. Findlay’s professional career began in his 20s, and he fought country-wide, winning some big purses. Reports suggest he was unfairly disqualified in a bout refereed by Lord Drumlanrig (father of the Marquess of Queensbury, after which boxing’s rules are named). A major disturbance broke out, and Drumlanrig had to be rescued from punters who felt cheated. After retiring in the 1850s, Findlay became a publican, running Three Tuns, Soho, then Kilburn’s Victoria Tavern (on the S.E. corner of Kilburn High Road and Willesden Lane, later “Biddy Mulligan’s”, now a betting shop), and finally The Prince of Wales, Hampton Court. Findlay also had a successful business selling hot and cold food and drinks at racecourses.

JAN FRANCIS (1985-2017)

Known by his tagline, ‘Aset’, Jan was a graffiti artist, curator and community activist. He grew up in Kilburn, attending Beckford Primary and Hampstead School, and became a prime mover in North London artists’ collective, ATG, known for vibrant, eye-catching and funny work in unusual settings. Based in South Kilburn, Jan was immersed in its history, regretting gentrification, soulless development, and the lack of amenities for Kilburn’s youth. He raised funds for mural workshops, and taught art in Nepal. Jan’s exhibited at several London galleries, but outdoor art was his love. Visible at Glastonbury, he was invited to Banksy’s Bethlehem hotel and with his colleague, ‘Panik’, painted the mural Stand Taller Than Walls.

WILLIAM BAXTER COLLIER FYFE (1836-1882)

Painter and illustrator. Born in Dundee, raised in Carnoustie. Studied at Royal Scottish Academy aged 15, then in Paris 1857-58. He spent a year travelling in France, Belgium and Italy, then in 1863 settled in London. His first major work, shown at the Royal Scottish Academy in 1861, was an oil painting of Queen Mary at Lochleven Castle being forced by nobles to abdicate her crown. Fyfe painted portraits, landscapes and historical scenes. From 1866, he began exhibiting at the Royal Academy, and some of his works were engraved and printed in newspaper worldwide. Fyfe’s best known works include, The Death of John Brown of Priesthill, A Girl of the Period, A Good Catholic, The Raid of Ruthven, and What can a Young Lassie Dae wi’ and Auld Man? He died at 62 Abbey Road, St. John’s Wood.

GOETZE GRAVE

Memorial commemorating the Goetze family. Artist Sigismund Christian Hubert Goetze (1866-1939) painted portraits and between 1912 and 1921 he completed the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s murals depicting Britain as a benign imperial power.  These were controversial from the start and continue to spark uncomfortable conversations within the Government. His brother, Leopold Hugo Bentley Goetze (1861-1921) was a printmaker, particularly of portraits. The British Museum has a collection of his mezzotints.

The memorial is the only listed memorial/grave in the cemetery and the figures are designed by Goetze’s friend Sir Albert Gilbert – renowned sculptor of Eros in Piccadilly Circus.

ALEXANDER HALDANE (1800-1882)

A Scottish publisher, newspaper proprietor and barrister. He was known as a religious controversialist and prominent conservative Anglican evangelist. Haldane founded and owned The Record, a campaigning evangelist newspaper that was Tory, anti-Catholic, opposed to broad Church thinking and the left.  

JAMES MOORE HICKSON (1868-1932/3)

Australia-born Christian Evangelist and Spiritual Healer. Hickson witnessed healing as a boy, and encouraged by local clergy, began healing himself. He and his wife, Emily Rosalie Harris, moved to London around 1901. Having healed across Great Britain, in 1919 Hickson toured the USA, drawing crowds of tens of thousands. In the 1920s he healed in Egypt, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), India, Burma (now Myanmar), Malaysia, Singapore, China, Japan, the Philippines, Palestine, France, South Africa, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Bermuda, South America & Canada. In 1930, he held missions in Ireland. A monochrome film shows the USA crowds and Hickson(https://digital.tcl.sc.edu/digital/collection/MVTN/id/6200/)

THOMAS LITTLE (1802-1859)

Architect, of 36 Northumberland Street, Marylebone. Chosen on the strength of his design of the chapel at Nunhead Cemetery, Little designed the chapels and surrounding cemetery at Paddington Old Cemetery. He chose his grave plot on the quieter oblique driveway with the best view of the chapels. Thomas Little also designed St Marks Regents Park, St. Marylebone C.E. School for Girls and St Andrew’s church at Fairlight, Hastings.

DANIEL ALOYSIUS MAHER (1881-1916)

Famous jockey, born Hartford, CT, USA. Having been top jockey in America, Danny Maher moved to the UK in 1900, winning first time out. Champion jockey twice (1908 + 19130, he won all the Classic Flat Races – 1,000 Guineas, 2,000 Guineas, Derby, Oaks, St. Leger. Famous patrons included King Edward VII, Lord Derby, actress Lillie Langtree, and his main retainer, Lord Rosebery. Mentioned in the contemporary song “Jean loves Jockeys”, he married light opera star, Dora Fraser. A naturalized British citizen (1913), he died from tuberculosis.

ARTHUR ORTON - ‘THE TICHBORNE CLAIMANT’ (1834-1898)

Son of a Wapping butcher, Orton became butcher and bankrupt ‘Tomas Castro’ in Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia.  Returning home, Orton claimed he was Sir Roger Tichborne, heir to a fortune and estates in England who was feared drowned in a shipwreck in South America. Despite convincing Tichborne’s mother he was her son, Orton was unmasked during a perjury trial (largely through his inability to speak French), and gaoled. The story was a press sensation of the age and Orton became a celebrity with many supporters. 5000 people attended his burial, many still believing he was Sir Roger. With the agreement of the Tichborne family, his coffin bore the nameplate “Sir Roger Charles Doughty Tichborne.” Orton is the subject of local author Zadie Smith’s book ‘The Fraud’. His grave in Section 2D is unmarked.

PRINCESS OMDUTEL AURAU BEGUM OF OUDH (1856-1858)

Daughter of General Mirza Sekunder Hishmut Bahadur, brother of Wajid Ali Shah, deposed and last King of Oudh. She died in London aged 18 months. The British East India Company had taken control of Oudh, and in 1856 the princess’ father and grandmother came to London with an entourage of 110 attendants to petition Queen Victoria for return of their lands. The voyage was beset with misfortune, after losing £50,000 of jewels intended for Queen Victoria in the Red Sea, upon arrival in London came news that rebellion had broken out in Lucknow and King Wajid Ali Shah arrested. The meeting with Queen Victoria was cordial but unsuccessful. During the 1857 Indian Mutiny or Rebellion, Oudh (better known as Awadh or Avadh) was a centre of violent resistance to British rule. Her father died in London, and is buried beside his mother, Malika Kishwar, last Queen of Oudh, in Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris.

CUTHBERT JOHN OTTAWAY (1850-1878)

England’s first Association Football team captain, versus Scotland, November 1872. Educated Eton College, University of Oxford. He represented Oxford against Cambridge in cricket, real tennis, rackets, athletics, and football – a record of 5 blues that still stands today. He won the FA Cup with Oxford. Played for Crystal Palace. Kent and Middlesex cricketer. Alongside WG Grace, Ottaway opened batting for “Gentlemen of England” 1872 North American cricket tour. Trained as a barrister, Ottaway died of pneumonia, aged 28, before his wife, Marion Stinson, gave birth to daughter, Lillian.

EMMA JANE (nee SMITH) PATERSON (1848-1866)

Born in London. Her father was headmaster of St. George’s Hanover Square parish school. Aged 18, she worked at the Working Men’s Club and Institute Union, meeting trade union leaders and her husband, Thomas, a cabinet maker. In 1872, Emma became secretary of the Society for the Promotion of Women's Suffrage but was soon and unfairly sacked. In 1874, she wrote for Labour News highlighting women’s lower wages than men, and urging them to set up their own central association with affiliated branches. Paterson helped create the Women’s Protective and Provident League, and several other women’s associations and unions. In 1875, Paterson was one of the first two women to attend the annual TUC conference.  Webb’s History of Trade Unionism described Paterson as 'the real pioneer of modern women's trade unions'. In 1876 she set up the Women's Printing Society Ltd, with women compositors and printers.

LAURA ELIZA JANE SEYMOUR (nee BELL) THISTLETHWAYTE (1831-1894)

Born Dublin, raised County Antrim, where her father was Marquis of Hertford’s bailiff. She moved to Belfast, becoming a shopgirl and failed actor. From mid-1840s to 1852, Bell was a famous and wealthy courtesan in Dublin, London, and Paris. In one affair with the Nepalese Prime Minister Jung Bahadur Rana he reputedly spent £250k in gifts for her in 90 days, he gave her a diamond ring with the promise to fulfil her every wish. Later she sent back the ring with the request that he send troops to aid Britain in the Indian Rebellion, Rana duly did so starting the involvement of the Gurkhas with the British army.  In 1852, Bell married wealthy army officer, Frederick Thistlethwayte. Later, Bell got religion, pronounced herself a Methodist, and became a crowd-drawing preacher across England and Scotland. A society hostess, Bell had a close and apparently platonic friendship with William Ewart Gladstone, Prime Minister. After her husband accidently shot himself, Bell moved to Fortune Green Lane, Hampstead. She died in May 1894, leaving £41,000 (£5 million today).